Kingweston Meadows
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Condition (Natural England)
| Unit | Feature | Condition | Area (ha) | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST539303 | — | Unfavourable No Change | 11.12 | 2019-08-02 |
Geology & landscape
Geological Period: Jurassic
Birds & fish recorded
Birds
| Species | Season |
|---|---|
| cuckoo | Unknown |
Description
Description This site is an excellent example of an unimproved herb rich neutral grassland of a type which is now rare in Britain. Since the Second World War over 95 percent of such habitat in Britain has been lost as a result of agricultural improvement and the annual rate of loss is estimated to be increasing. In Somerset, a county where this habitat was once widespread and extensive, less than 10 sites of this size and quality are now known. It is located on level ground on calcareous clay soils which have developed from the underlying Jurassic clays. The sward consists largely of the crested dog's tail common knapweed Cynosurus cristatus Centaurea nigra community. It contains in abundance herbs such as, betony Betonica officinalis, dyer's greenweed Genista tinctoria, saw wort Serratula tinctoria, lady's bedstraw Galium verum, cowslip Primula veris, pepper saxifrage Silaum silaus, agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis and common knapweed. Green winged orchid Anacamptis morio, adder's tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum and corky fruited water dropwort Oenanthe pimpinelloides, which is a nationally scarce species, are also present. In the wetter areas, which are mostly associated with the field gutters, rushes Juncus spp. become abundant along with species such as, meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria, creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia, cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis and hairy sedge Carex hirta.
Species mentioned
Show the 17 species mentioned in the description, with red-list status| English name search for this in other sites |
Latin name search with Google |
IUCN / Red List | Type | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| adders-tongue fern | Ophioglossum vulgatum | LC | fern | ophioglossaceae |
| crested dog's tail | Cynosurus cristatus | LC | grass | poaceae |
| agrimony | Agrimonia eupatoria | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| green-winged orchid | Anacamptis morio | NT | herb | orchidaceae |
| betony | Betonica officinalis | VU | herb | lamiaceae |
| cuckoo-flower | Cardamine pratensis | LC | herb | brassicaceae |
| black knapweed | Centaurea nigra | LC | herb | asteraceae |
| meadow sweet | Filipendula ulmaria | LC | herb | rosaceae |
| lady's bedstraw | Galium verum | LC | herb | rubiaceae |
| dyer's greenweed | Genista tinctoria | LC | herb | fabaceae |
| creeping-Jenny | Lysimachia nummularia | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| corky-fruited water-dropwort | Oenanthe pimpinelloides | LC | herb | apiaceae |
| cowslip | Primula veris | LC | herb | primulaceae |
| saw wort | Serratula tinctoria | VU | herb | asteraceae |
| pepper saxifrage | Silaum silaus | EN | herb | saxifragaceae |
| devils-bit scabious | Succisa pratensis | VU | herb | caprifoliaceae |
| hairy sedge | Carex hirta | LC | sedge | cyperaceae |
Insects to look out for
These moths, butterflies and beetles are known to feed on plants recorded at this site, and carry a notable UK conservation status — but a host-plant being present doesn't mean the insect has actually been recorded here. Treat this as "worth watching for," not a confirmed sighting.
| Species | Status | Via host-plant |
|---|---|---|
| Reddish buff Acosmetia caliginosa |
Critically Endangered | Serratula tinctoria |
| Black-veined moth Siona lineata |
Critically Endangered | Centaurea nigra |
| Duke of Burgundy Hamearis lucina |
Endangered | Primula veris |
| Scarce vapourer Orgyia recens |
Endangered | Filipendula ulmaria |
| Mouse moth Amphipyra tragopoginis |
Vulnerable | Serratula tinctoria |
| Marsh fritillary Euphydryas aurinia |
Vulnerable | Succisa pratensis |
| Satyr pug Eupithecia satyrata |
Vulnerable | Centaurea spp., Filipendula ulmaria, Galium spp. |
| White-line dart Euxoa tritici |
Vulnerable | Galium verum |
| Bedstraw hawk-moth Hyles gallii |
Vulnerable | Galium spp. |
| Grizzled skipper Pyrgus malvae |
Vulnerable | Agrimonia eupatoria |
| Lead belle Scotopteryx mucronata |
Vulnerable | Genista tinctoria |
| Small heath Coenonympha pamphilus |
Near Threatened | Cynosurus cristatus |
| Autumnal rustic Eugnorisma glareosa |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
| Grey pug Eupithecia subfuscata |
Near Threatened | Betonica officinalis, Centaurea spp. |
| Scarce forester Jordanita globulariae |
Near Threatened | Centaurea nigra |
| Dark-barred twin-spot carpet Xanthorhoe ferrugata |
Near Threatened | Galium spp. |
Host-plant data: Cook et al. (2025), Traits data for the butterflies and macro-moths of Great Britain and Ireland, 2024, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology / Butterfly Conservation; and Padovani et al. (2020), Database of Insects and their Food Plants (DBIF), UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (both Open Government Licence). Contains data supplied by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.